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Monday, March 18, 2013

I'm Not Dead Yet... !!!

(Today's 'WOW, DUDE!!!' award goes to John Lowe. There are lots of exclamation points in this post!!!!)

Slowing down in your old age?

Or even your young age?

Not John Lowe, who at 91 years of age, is reputedly Britain's oldest living professional ballet dancer. Which isn't bad when you consider that he only took up ballet at age 79, and landed his first starring role in a ballet at age 88!

What was I doing, I wondered, the year that John bought a house at age 80 and installed a wooden floor, (himself!), so that he could roller-skate!? Then DIY'ed himself a ballet bar and a trapeze.. !

.. That was the year 2000.. 13 years ago.. Ok, so I was busy juggling the demands of seven children age 8 to 18, so not too lazy that year. But what am I doing now, and what am I going to be doing at age 80 - and age 91? To be honest, I'm not even expecting to live that long! And I have certainly never imagined that I might be starring on stage in a ballet if I did.

But just look at John Lowe's happy face ...

People sometimes observe that we again become childlike when we age. I think they are usually referring to having no hair or teeth and needing lots of care.

John Lowe seems to have instead embraced the great wonder and joy of childhood: excited, enthusiastic delight in the practice and perfection of new accomplishments. He's such an inspiration, but is his an example that I can follow? Is it already too late to claw my way back from encroaching decrepitude?

One thing that does seem very clear: John Lowe looks like he is having an awful lot of fun!!